Artificial hand.



D. P. CHRISTMANN.

ARTIFICIAL HAND.

APPLICATION FILED JAN. 3!. 9w.

1 ,268,546.,- x Patented J 11113 4, 1918.

" I D. P Chm'stmann DANIEL I. CHRISTMANN, 0F DELTA, OHIO.

ARTIFICIAL HAND.

Specification of Letters Patent.

Patented June 4:, 1918.

Application filed January 31, 1918. Serial No. 214,631.

To all whom it may concern:

Be it known that I, DANIEL P. CHRIST- MANN, a citizen of the United States, residing at Delta, in the county of Fulton, State of Ohio, have invented a new and useful Artificial Hand; and I do hereby declare the following to be a full, clear, and exact description of the invention, such as will enable others skilled in the art to which it appertains to make and use the same.

The present invention relates to an artificial hand, and has for its object to provide a device of this character which embodies novel features of construction whereby it can be manipulated in a most effective manner to grasp and lift different articles, as well as to hold a pencil or stylus, thereby enabling a person who has lost his hand to perform practically all kinds of useful work in a very satisfactory manner.

Further objects of the invention are to provide a device of this character which is comparatively simple and inexpensive in its construction, which has no complicated parts which are liable to break or get out of order, which can be readily mounted in position, which can be effectively manipulated with the arm in difierent positions, and which does not require an excessive amount of skill for its use.

With these and other objects in View, the invention consists in certain novel combinations and arrangements of the parts as will more fully appear as the description proceeds, the novel features thereof being pointed out in the appended claims.

For a full understanding of the invention,

reference is to be had to the following description and accompanying drawings, in which Figure 1 is a side elevation of an artificial hand constructed in accordance with the invention, showing the jaws in one position, portions being broken away and shown in section.

Fig. 2 is a view looking at the artificial hand from the opposite side, and showing the jaws in a different position.

Fig. 3 is a sectional view on the line 3-3 of Fig. 1, showing the pivotal connection between the two members.

Figs. 4: and 5 are end views of the two jaws or arms which are utilized to grip a stylus or pencil.

Fig. 6 is an elevation of an arm having the improved hand applied thereto.

Corresponding and like parts are referred to in the following description and indicated in all the views of the drawings by the same reference characters.

Referring to the drawings, which illustrate one embodiment of the invention, the numeral 1 designates an elongated stock which is provided at one end with a threaded stem 2 for attachment to the wrist stump. The opposite end of the stock terminates in a fiat circular plate 3 which is offset on one side of the stock and is provided'with a central opening receiving a pivot bolt 4. Integral with the circular plate 3 is a pair of substantially radially extending arms 5 and 6, said arms being of the same length and being arranged upon opposite sides of the axis of the hand. The arm 5 is formed with a forwardly curved claw 7 .while the arm 6 is' formed with a rearwa'rdly extending lifting hook 8.

Fitted against the circular plate 3 and pivotally connected thereto by the bolt 1 is a second circular plate 9, the two plates having a combined thickness equal to the thickness of the stock 1 and jaws carried thereby, so that the sides of the artificial hand are substantially smooth and free from annoying projections. Rigid with the plate 9 and projecting from opposite sides thereof are the substantially radial arms 10 and 11, the arm 10 being arranged between the arms 5 and 6 of the fixed plate 3, while the arm 11 is arranged to the rear of the arm 5. The arm 10 is formed with a forwardly extendingclaw 12 which is adapted to cooperate with theclaw 7 of the arm 5 to engage any object which it may be desired to lift, the two claws being indicated on Fig. 2 as brought into cooperative relation. The opposed faces of the arms 10 and 6 are radially disposed so as to come squarely together when the jaws are closed, being formed with a series of transversely extending teeth 13 to facilitate the gripping of an object between the same, and being also formed with longitudinally extending grooves 14 which open through the ends of the arms and provide seats adapted to receive and position a pencil or stylus 15 which may be grasped between the jaws.

The arm 11 which is rigid with the pivot plate 9 is hooked forwardly toward the arm 5, as indicated at 16, the inner face of the hooked portion of the arm and the opposed radial face of the arm 5 being provided with between the jaws or arms. This hooked arm 16 enables a door knob or similar round ob ject to be readily grasped by the artificiali l x 1 Y A small clip 18 is pivotally connected to the end of the arm 11, said clip'being loosely engaged by the end of an operatingrod 19 which has a resilient and operative connection with the arm at a point above the elbow so that the artificial hand can be controlled by the relative movements of the fore arm and upper arm.. The endiof the operatin rod 19.is provided with a plunger 20 which telescopes within a tubular, casing 21,"c0il springs 22 being interposed between opposite sides of the plunger 20 andan abutment 23 at one end of the casing and a'plug 24: which is screwed removably into the other endof the casing. This plug 24 is intended to be operatively connected to a suitable member 25 upon the upper arm. The operating rod 19 can thus be moved back and forthlongitudinally to turn the circular plate 9 on the fixed plate3.

In Fig. 6 the artificial hand isillustrated as applied to a conventional arm, said arm including a socket A which is secured tov the ;upper arm by suitablemeans such as the strap C, and which is'provided with side barsB. These sidebars B are pivotally connected at their lower endsto the sidebars D of the lower arm, as indicated at E. The threaded stemI2 is screwed into the swinging end of the lower arm, while the member 25 projects from oneof the side bars B of the upper arm, thereby enabling the parts of the hand to be manipulated by moving the fore; arm relative to the upper arm,

When the plate is rotated in one-direction the claws 7 and .12 are swung toward each other and brought into cooperative relation, as indicated by Fig. 2. When the plate is rotated in the opposite direction, the, arm 6 is swungztoward the arm 10 and the arm llswung toward the arm 5. A pencil or I like object maythenbe grasped between the arms 6 andlO, or; the arms 11 and 5 may be utilized to grasp a door knob or similar ob ject, Owingto the resilient connectionbetween the operating rod 19 and the upper arm, it .will be understood that a considerable'amount, of relativev movement is permittedlbetween the upper arm andpfore arm after the jaws or arms have been brought into the desired relation. The tightness with which the object is grasped can also beregulated, since it will be obvious that as one of, the springs 22;is placed under increased compression the :j aws will; be; causedto grip the vobject more tightly, although theugrip will always=be of a resilient. character The hook8 of, the 'arm 6 is intended to. bebused for general lifting purposes, and it will be read-ilyunderstood that the handle of the basket'or like :member can be brought into engagement with this lifting hook without any':ldifliculty.

Having thus described the invention, what l'claimias new and desire to secure by; Letters Patent, is

-1-. An artificial hand including a stock adapted to be attached to the wrist stump and provided at its outerend with'a fixed circular plate, a pairof'ri'gid arms projecting from the fixed circular'plate on opposite sides of the axis of the stock,one arm being provided with a forwardly extending claw,

a second circular plate fitted rotatably against thefiXed' plate, a pivot bolt connecting the two plates, a pair of rigid arms proj ecting from the rotatable plate, one of which extends'between the arms of the fixed'plate and is provided witha forwardly extending 'cla'w adaptedfto" be swung toward the before mentioned claw to grip an article to be lifted, the rear faceof the arm having an opposed relation to the other arm of the fitted plate for"cooperati on therewith to grip an article; when the rotatable plate'is moved "inthe opposite, direction, the other arm" of the rotatable'plate being hooked for 'cotiperation with the'first mentioned'arm of the fixedlplate to grasp a round object, and an operating rod connected to one of the arms of the rotatable'plate.

2; An artificial 'hand"includiiig a sto 'ck adapted to be attache'd to a wrist stump and I provided at its outer end with a fi XedI circular; plate, a pair of rigidg'armslprojecting fromithe, fixed circular plate on' 'o'pposite sides'of the aXis of the stock, one arm being provided With a forwardly extending rclaw,

while the other a radially. extending forward facd'which is longitudinally grooved, a second circular plate fitted 'rotatably against the fixed plate, a pivot bolt connecting the two plates, a pair of rigidarms projecting from, the rotatable' vplate', one of which extends between the armsof the" fixed platev and is providedwith a forwardly extending claw adapted to be'swung toward the before mentionedzclaw to grip an article" to be lifted, the rear face. of the arm being radially disposed and provided with a longitudinal groove adapted to cooperate with the before mentioned longitudinal groove of the second mentioned arm of the fixed-plate to receive a pencil, the other arm of the rotatable plate ,being hooked forwardly for cooperation with the back 'of the first mentionedarm of the fixeduplate to grasp a round object, andan operating rodconnectv ed to. one. of. the arms of the rotatable plate.

3. An :artificial hand includingjaf stock adapted to be attached to a wrist stump and provided atits outerend with aflffixed circular plate, r1gid ,arms,-projcting from the" fixed plate, a second circ'ular'plate*fitted"r0- tatably against the fixed plate, a pivot bolt connecting the two plates, a pair of rigid arms projecting from the rotatable plate and constructed for cooperating with the arms of the fixed plate to grip difierent articles as the rotatable plate is swung back and forth to bring different sets of the arms into cooperative relation, an operating rod connected to one of the arms of the rotatable plate, and resilient connecting means for attaching the operating rod to the upper arm of the wearer.

4. An artificial hand including a stock adapted to be attached to a wrist stump and provided at its outer end with a fixed circular plate, rigid arms projecting from the fixed circular plate, a second circular plate fitted rotatably against the fixed plate, a pivot bolt connecting the two plates, arms projecting from the pivot plate and adapted Copies of this patent may be obtained for five cents each, by addressing the to be swung back and forth into cooperative relation with the arms of the fixed plate, an operating rod connected to one of the arms of the rotatable plate, a plunger at the end of the operating rod, a tubular casing receiving the plunger, and coil springs arranged within the tubular casing and engaging opposite sides of the plunger to provide for relative movement between the operating rod and casing in either direction against the action of one of the springs.

In testimony whereof I have signed my name to this specification in the presence of two subscribing witnesses.

DANIEL P. CHRISTMANN.

Witnesses:

'A. T. MoCoMB, S. MURRAY.

"commissioner of I'atents,

Washington, D. G. 

